Primer Note: A novel set of EST-SSR markers in Tamarix: a resource to characterize this genus

AbstractBoth the negative and positive ecological impact of Tamarix plants is controversial, and thus a more comprehensive understanding is necessary. Tamarisks are invasive in many countries but the inter-specific transferability that characterizes simple sequence repeats (SSRs) could be harnessed to track the spread of specific genotypes or to study invasive populations. Thirteen polymorphic SSR markers, derived from expressed sequence tag (EST), were identified by first screening 26 samples of T. aphylla, T. jordanis, T. nilotica, and T. tetragyna and then 33 unidentified tamarisks from Yotvata, Israel. The mean number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 14 and the mean expected heterozygosity was 0.415. These EST-SSR markers will undoubtedly be useful in the genetic characterization of the genus Tamarix due to their high cross-species transferability which enables the estimation of the genetic diversity among and within different species, that are adapted to the same desert habitat under severe environmental constraints

Weekly epirubicin plus lonidamine in advanced breast carcinoma

: Lonidamine has been demonstrated to potentiate the cytotoxic activity of several antineoplastic drugs, for example anthracyclines. Moreover, epirubicin is considered one of the most active drugs in advanced breast cancer, although optimal dose and schedule remains to be defined. In the present study we have treated 51 patients with advanced breast cancer with a combination of lonidamine (450 mg/day orally from day 1 throughout treatment) and epirubicin (25 mg/m2 i.v.) administered according to a weekly schedule for 24 weeks. Objective responses were observed in 29 out of 51 patients (57%; CR 16%, PR 41%). Liver metastases responded in eight out of 12 evaluable patients (67%). Average response duration was 12.4 months and median overall survival was 23 months (range 1-90+). Toxicity was negligible. The combination of weekly epirubicin and lonidamine is feasible and active in advanced breast cancer patients

Breast cancer and timing of surgery during menstrual cycle: a 5-year analysis of 248 premenopausal women

: In the present report, we retrospectively analyzed the impact of the timing of surgery during menstrual cycle on disease-free and overall survival of 248 premenopausal patients with stage I/II breast cancer who underwent surgery followed by anthracycline-containing adjuvant chemotherapy. With a median follow-up of 5 years, no statistically significant differences were observed in disease-free or overall survival between women operated upon during the follicular (days 0-14) and the luteal (days 15-32) phase of the menstrual cycle. The impact on disease-free and overall survival of lymph-node status, tumor size and hormone receptor expression, but not of the phase of the menstrual cycle at the time of surgery, was confirmed by univariate and multivariate analysis. However, when combined with hormone receptor status, the phase of the menstrual cycle at the time of surgery proved useful to better define the prognosis of primary breast cancer patients, with significantly longer disease-free and overall survival for patients operated upon during the follicular phase and with positive hormone receptors

La Psico-oncologia nell'assistenza sanitaria, nelle cure oncologiche a domicilio e nella terapia del dolore

Il cancro è una malattia ad alta ricaduta sociale che necessita di una assistenza sanitaria integrata, funzionale alla presa in carico globale di tutti i bisogni di cura del paziente oncologico. La Psico-oncologia è una disciplina di interfaccia tra medicina e psicologia, che si occupa della prevenzione e del trattamento del distress psicologico secondario alla patologia oncologica, sia nel paziente che nei suoi familiari, a tutti gli stadi della malattia. Si occupa altresì della formazione e del sostegno alle equipe dei curanti, sia per gli aspetti di comunicazione che di relazione con i malati. Gli Screening prevedono, all’interno del loro profilo assistenziale, il sostegno psicologico ai pazienti a partire dal dubbio diagnostico. L’assistenza al paziente oncologico, organizzata all’interno dei Servizi sanitari regionali, deve integrare gli approcci multidisciplinari, realizzando una corrispondenza tra bisogni del malato e modalità di offerta integrata per il raggiungimento di un modello di eccellenza patient-oriented. L’assistenza psiconcologica è uno strumento di miglioramento e assicurazione della qualità sanitaria e l’assistenza domiciliare oncologica è un Livello Essenziale di Assistenza in cui la terapia del dolore merita lo sforzo congiunto di tutte le discipline. Questo convegno è stato organizzato da più forze professionali, e da più punti di vista, al fine di poter trattare, il più esaustivamente possibile e all’interno della stessa iniziativa, gli argomenti affrontati